Motor sleigh



J. A; LACASSE.

MOTOR SLEIGH. APPLICATION FILED MAR. I8, 1920. RENEWED MAR. 21, 1922.

1,420,267. Patent d-June 20,1922.

UNITED JOSEPH AQLAoAssn, or LAKE LINDEN, MICHIGAN.

MOTOR SLEIGH.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented, J ne 20! 1,922;

'* Application filed March 18. 1920, Serial No. 366.924. Renewed March 27', 1922'. Serial No; 547,291.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that Josnrrr A. Lixoiissn, a citizen of the United States. residing at Lake Linden, in the county of Houghton, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements' in Motor Sleighs; and I dohereby declare the followingtobe a full, clear, and exact description of; the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates tonew and useful improvements in sleighs and particularly to motor driven sleighs.

Oneobject of the present invention is to provide a noveland improved propelling means by which the sleigh will be driven over snow of various depths.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved sleigh propelling mechanism wherein the pusher elements are constructed and arranged to operate successfully over uneven snow or ice and to properly engage with the surface such ice or snow whether on elevations or depressions.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a sleigh equipped with the improved propelling mechanism.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same, the body of the sleigh being removed.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view through the sleigh. transe versely of one of the crank portions of the drive shaft, showing the jointed pusher elements, on line 44 of Fig. 2.

Referring particularly to the aocompanying drawing, 10 and 11 represent the two sleds of the sleigh. on which is mounted the body, partly broken away, in Figure 2, for the purpose of exposing the mechanism of the sleigh. Mounted above the rear sled 11. are the bearing brackets 12, and rotatably supported in these brackets are the trans-- verse shafts 13, each having a pair of oppositely extending crank portions 14: and 15, at each end thereof. To distinguish the shafts apart, the forward one will be designated by the numeral 13 and the rear one by the numeral 13, and the crank portions of the shaft 1 3 by the numeral14,ivl'1ile the crank: portions of the shaft 13 will be designated by the numeral 15. 'Pi'votally connected to the crankportions 15 of" the shaft 13 are the links-1'6, the other end of each link being pivotally connected to the pusher leg 17. It will be noted" that these links and pusher legs are duplicatedat the other side of the sleigh, and pivotally connected to each pusher leg, at a point below the" point of connection with the link 1 6 is a pitman rod or link 18, the other end of which is connected to one of the crank por= tions 14' of the shaft 13-.

' Mounted'on the body is a motor of desired type, the one shown at 1 9 being of the gas engine type; Theengine incliiole's a drive shaft 20 which drives the shaft 1*3 by means of the wormgear-"21, a chain 22 engaging with sprocket wheels 23 and 24,

on the shafts 13 and 13, serving to drive the rear shaft 13.

Thus, as the shaft 13 rotates, motion will be communicated to the shaft 13, with the result that the crank portions of the shaft 13 will cause the pusher legs to reciprocate and oscillate to contact their biting feet 25 with the surface of the snow or ice, to propel the sleigh forwardly. On comparatively level surfaces of snow or ice the pusher legs will engage with such surfaces and maintain the joint between the legs and the links 16 slightly elevated, the pitmen operating to rock the legs back and forth as the cranks of the shaft 13 rotate, this causing the legs to move in a fashion simulating that of the human legs when walking. Should the feet of the pusher legs encounter an elevation in the snow or icesurface the joints thereof with the links 16 would be elevated so that i the proper action of the pusher legs would be maintained. Also, should the feet enter a depression, the said joints with the links 16 would be lowered to permit the legs to prop erlv function and push the sleigh forwardly.

It will be noted that when a pusher leg is in its; foremost limit of movement, and first or snow. Further movement moves the pushers baekwardly so that the sleigh will move forwardly.

It will also be noted that the forward cranks 14 and 15, on the shaft 13, are each longer than the corresponding cranks '14 and 15 on the rear shaft 13. This effects such a difference in movement of the pushers 17 that they will be forced baekwardly by the long throw of the links or pitm'an 18 before they will have been lifted from the snow by the rear cranks l4 and. 15 and the links 16, The action of the feet of the pu'shers, in engagement with the snow, is thus very similar to that of the human foot while walking, that is, the bottom of the foot is placed on the snow andv then the heel is raised to press the toe into the snow, while rearward move ment is given to the pusher to propel the sled forwardly, the toe remaining in the snow for a sullicient length of time to cause such pushing movement. Heretofore, pushers of this type have been plunged ver tieally downward into the snow and then swung backwardly. he novel and. effective movement of the pushers is due to the before mentioned difference in the length of the front and rear cranks and of the links 16.

The pusher legs of one side of the sleigh are disposed in proper relation to the legs at the other side that one leg on each side of the sleigh will be on the snow surface at the same time, and when these legs are elerated from the surfaro the remaining legs will be in operative engagement with the snow surface, with the result that a continuous pushing motion is imparted by the legs to propel the sleigh smoothly along the SHOW".

l Vhat is claimed is: i

A propelling mechanism for a motor sleigh comprising a pair of transverse shafts, the forward shaft having long cranks on its end portions, the rearward shaft having short cranks on its end portions, short links carried by and depending from the short cranks, ground engaging propelling legs pivotally carried by the lower. ends of the short links, and long links connected pivotally to the long cranks of. the forward shaft and to the intermediate portions of the ground legs.

in testimony whereof, Laflix my'signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH A. LACASSE Witnesses:

EMIL F, PRINCE, LAURA M. PRINCE. 

